Reporters Without Borders: Mohammed bin Salman Named Among Press Freedom Predators as 15 Journalists Remain Behind Bars in Saudi Arabia

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has included Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on its 2026 list of Press Freedom Predators, highlighting restrictions on journalism in Saudi Arabia and human rights violations against media professionals.

The organization placed Mohammed bin Salman in a category comprising individuals and entities responsible for killing, assaulting, and imprisoning journalists. In its profile of the Crown Prince, RSF stated that Saudi authorities do not tolerate media coverage that deviates from the official narrative, even within privately owned media outlets. Journalists who challenge these restrictions face prosecution and imprisonment.

According to RSF, 15 journalists are currently detained in Saudi Arabia, approximately half of them without trial or despite having completed their prison sentences. Saudi Arabia ranks 176th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, according to the organization’s rankings.